 |
|
|
|
Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
 email this review to a friend
Movie Review by N
May 18th, 2008
|  |
Dark, satirical and truly funny
Favorite Movie Quote: "What am I gonna say? "I killed the president of Paraguay with a fork. How've you been?""
What if Ferris Bueller just lost it, shipped off to the army and became a hitman? Being a child of the 80s (which, somewhat sadly, yours truly is) helps appreciate and understand Grosse Pointe Blank for its black humor. But even then, the movie hits bullseye (no pun intended) on many levels.
Story sees John Cusak as Martin Blank, a brooding but successful hitman whose upcoming class reunion puts him into introspection mode where discomfort with his life path brings along many issues that won't be pushed back down anymore.
If nothing else, the film is wildly entertaining for its amazing New Wave soundtrack, snappy dialogue and pitch perfect performances - especially short but cracking turns from supporting veterans Alan Arkin and Dan Aykroyd; anyone who still doubts Dan's comedic genius should really see him as a neurotic contract killer bent on unionizing his felllows and rivals. The film does however act as a lighter -and less gruesome- side note to American Psyhco, where the consumerism and success-hype of the 80s left an entire generation bitter when the piece of the pie left to them turned out much smaller than expected. Not to mention verbalizing the dread of a high school reunion...
No rock is left unturned in this darkly satirical look at the 80s from a late 90s point of view. Whether it's a former school jockey turned alcoholic and BMW salesman IN DETROIT, a hapless dweeb who got a security job complete with gun after a two-weeks course, or a nostalgic hitman finding a convenience store where his once dysfunctional home once stood, everything in the movie ironises the fact that this one generation got screwed by the previous - and itself.
Such a storyline could've easily fallen into the heavy and depressive, but the pace, screenplay and performances keep things surprisingly upbeat and fun, with priceless moments of comedic exchanges between the main protagonist and his zoo-like entourage.
Grosse Pointe Blank might not be an Oscar contender, but remains one of the most satisfying look at the 80s, as well as ranking among John Cusack's strongest comedies.
email this review to a friend
Comment on this Review:
Sorry, you must be a member to add comments to reviews.
Join or Login. |
 Subscribe to MatchFlick Movie Reviews through RSS
|
